Application protoyping suite

Abstract

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: an application storage that stores code defining an application, wherein the code is received by the prototyping suite from the developer device; a testing controller configured to effect performance of at least one test in association with the application to produce at least one test result; a certification controller configured to analyze the at least one test result to determine whether the application meets a certification requirement of a first plurality of certification requirements; and an application marketplace server configured to provide the application to at least one other device when the certification controller has determined that the application meets each certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A prototyping suite for facilitating application development by a developer using a developer device, the prototyping suite comprising:
 at least one hardware device comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor supports:
 an application storage configured to store code defining an application, wherein the code is received by the prototyping suite from the developer device; 
 a testing controller configured to effect performance of at least one test in association with the application to produce at least one test result; 
 a certification controller configured to:
 identify a first end user device of a set of end user devices indicated by the developer as an intended platform for the application, 
 identify a first plurality of certification requirements as being associated with the first end user device of the set of end user devices, wherein the certification controller has access to a second plurality of certification requirements that are associated with a second end user device of the set of end user devices that is different from the first end user device of the set of end user devices, and 
 analyze the at least one test result to determine whether the application meets a certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements; and 
 
 an application marketplace server configured to provide the application to at least one other device when the certification controller has determined that the application meets each certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to establish a sandbox for performance of the at least one test. 
     
     
       3. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to:
 establish a device emulator, wherein the device emulator is configured to emulate an identified end user device; and 
 configure the device emulator to run the application. 
 
     
     
       4. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to configure at least one test device to run the application, and wherein the at least one test device is an identified end user device. 
     
     
       5. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the testing controller includes an API simulator, and 
 in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to test an interaction between the application and the API simulator. 
 
     
     
       6. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to test an interaction between the application and a live API, and wherein the prototyping suite throttles the rate at which messages originating from the application are transmitted to the live API. 
     
     
       7. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in effecting performance of the at least one test, the testing controller is configured to select a test script for execution in association with the application, and wherein selection of the test script is based on the first plurality of certification requirements. 
     
     
       8. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each end user device of the set of end user devices is associated with a plurality of certification requirements; and 
 the first plurality of certification requirements is the plurality of certification requirements associated with the first end user device of the set of end user devices. 
 
     
     
       9. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , wherein, in providing the application to the at least one other device, the application marketplace server is configured to provide the application to an application store server. 
     
     
       10. The prototyping suite of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one marketing tool configured to facilitate the creation of demand for the application. 
     
     
       11. A method performed by a prototyping suite for facilitating application development by a developer using a developer device, the method comprising:
 receiving, by the prototyping suite from the developer device, code defining an application; 
 effecting performance of at least one test in association with the application to produce at least one test result; 
 identifying a first end user device of a set of end user devices indicated by the developer as an intended platform for the application; 
 identifying a first plurality of certification requirements as being associated with the first end user device of the set of end user devices, wherein the prototyping suite has access to a second plurality of certification requirements that are associated with a second end user device of the set of end user devices that is different from the first end user device of the set of end user devices; 
 analyzing the at least one test result to determine whether the application meets a certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements; and 
 providing the application to at least one other device when the application meets each certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises establishing a sandbox for performance of the at least one test. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises:
 establishing a device emulator, wherein the device emulator is configured to emulate an identified end user device; and 
 configuring the device emulator to run the application. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises configuring at least one test device to run the application, and wherein the at least one test device is an identified end user device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises testing an interaction between the application and an API simulator. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises testing an interaction between the application and a live API, including throttling the rate at which messages originating from the application are transmitted to the live API. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting performance of the at least one test comprises selecting a test script for execution in association with the application, and wherein selection of the test script is based on the first plurality of certification requirements. 
     
     
       18. The step of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing the application to the at least one other device comprises providing the application to an application store server. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising facilitating, by the prototyping suite, the creation of demand for the application. 
     
     
       20. A tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for execution by a prototyping suite for facilitating application development by a developer using a developer device, the tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising:
 instructions for receiving, by the prototyping suite from the developer device, code defining an application; 
 instructions for effecting performance of at least one test in association with the application to produce at least one test result; 
 instructions for identifying a first end user device of a set of end user devices indicated by the developer as an intended platform for the application; 
 instructions for identifying a first plurality of certification requirements as being associated with the first end user device of the set of end user devices, wherein the prototyping suite has access to a second plurality of certification requirements that are associated with a second end user device of the set of end user devices that is different from the first end user device of the set of end user devices; 
 instructions for analyzing the at least one test result to determine whether the application meets a certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements; and 
 instructions for providing the application to at least one other device when the application meets each certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements. 
 
     
     
       21. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise instructions for establishing a sandbox for performance of the at least one test. 
     
     
       22. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise:
 instructions for establishing a device emulator, wherein the device emulator is configured to emulate an identified end user device; and 
 instructions for configuring the device emulator to run the application. 
 
     
     
       23. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise instructions for configuring at least one test device to run the application, and wherein the at least one test device is an identified end user device. 
     
     
       24. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise instructions for testing an interaction between the application and an API simulator. 
     
     
       25. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise instructions for testing an interaction between the application and a live API, including instructions for throttling the rate at which messages originating from the application are transmitted to the live API. 
     
     
       26. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the instructions for effecting performance of the at least one test comprise instructions for selecting a test script for execution in association with the application, and wherein selection of the test script is based on the first plurality of certification requirements. 
     
     
       27. The tangible and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , further comprising instructions for facilitating, by the prototyping suite, the creation of demand for the application.